Gun-rack for tents



(No Model.)

- B. WATSON.

GUN RACK-FOR TENTS.

No. 429,370. PatntedfTune 3,, 18 90.

INVENTOH.

A TTOHNEYS UNITED 7 STATES PATENT OFFICE;

BENJAMIN WATSON,OF GLEN HAZEL, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT J, WATSON, OF LIMESTONE, NEW YORK.

GUN-RACK FOR TENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,370, dated June 3, 1890.-

Application filed December 21, 1889. Serial No. 334,573. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WATsoN, of

Glen Hazel, in the county of Elk and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Gun-Rack for Tents, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

' pied by four men.

Heretofore it has been the practice for soldiers in the field to let their guns and equipments lie upon the ground or to tie the guns to the tent-pole. The latter method is very inconvenient, and in either case the guns, &c., are greatly injured by moisture.

The object of my invention is to provide a convenient rack that will always be in position upon the tent-pole, that will hold the guns in such a manner that there will be no danger of their accidental discharge, and which will permit of the guns being quickly inserted or removed.

To this end my invention consists of two clasps adapted to be attached one above the other to the tent-pole, the upper clasp being provided with swinging arms adapted to be retained in a horizontal position and having holes in the bottom to receive the gun-barrels, and the lower clasp having swinging arms adapted to'be retained in a horizontal position and having slotted sides to receive the butts of the guns.

Reference isto be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tent-pole" with the gun-rack in position thereon, the arms of the rack being in position to receive the guns; Fig. 2, a cross-section of one of the upper arms on the line 0c 00 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a cr0ss-section of one of the lower arms on the line 1 y of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a vertical longitudinal section of the upper clasp and of one of the arms attached thereto, the arm being shown in a horizontal position and its vertical position being indicated by dotted lines.

The clasps A and A are of the same construction; but if the tentpole B is tapering the lower clasp A may be made of slightly larger diameter than the upper clasp'A. They are of the same shape as the tent pole B, so that they will fit closely thereon, are placed a suitable distance apart upon the tent-pole, and are attached thereto by the screws or nails a. The. clasps are provided at their upper ends with two projecting ears 1) upon two sides and with an outwardly-curved brace d, which terminates just below the top of the ears I). The clasps A A are also provided with arms D and E, which are pivoted between the ears 6, and which should be of the same shape as the tent-pole B, so that when they are swung into a vertical position they will fit closely upon the pole. The inner ends of the arms D and E are pivoted between the ears I) of the clasps A and A, respectively, by the pins 6, so that the arms may be swung vertically upon the tent-pole B, and when dropped into ahorizontal position their lower sides will rest upon the braces cl, and thus be supported in a horizontal position.

The arms D have whole sides, but have holes f in the bottom portion to receive the muzzles of the guns. The arms Ehavewhole 8o bottoms, but have curved or rounded slots 9 in the sides to receive the butts of the guns. The rack being in position upon the tentpole, the arms D and E are swung into horizontal position and the guns placed therein by thrusting the muzzles through the holes f of the arms D and resting the butts in the arms E, the slotsg engaging the edges thereof and holding them in position. The position of a gun in the rack is indicated by the dot- 9o ted lines in Fig. 1. After the guns are placed .in position the other equipments may be placed in the rack, the upper arms D being better adapted for this purpose. I have shown an octagonal tent-pole B, and consequently '95 the arms D and E have straight flaring sides,

so that they may fit closely upon the pole; but if the style of pole is changed the arms should be correspondingly changed to fit it.

When the tent is taken down, the arms D IOQ and E may be swung upwardly upon the pole B and the tent wound upon the pole in the usual manner without injuring the canvas, as the arms fit closely upon the poles.

I have shown the rack adapted to hold four guns; but it is obvious that it may be made to hold a larger or a smaller number Without changing the nature of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A gun-rack for tents, consisting, essentially, of two clasps adapted to be attached in a vertical line to the tentpole, said clasps being provided with vertical] y-swin gin g arms adapted to be retained in a horizontal position when in use and to fold against the pole when not in use, the upper of said arms having holes in the bottom thereof to receive the gun-muzzles, and the lowerof said arms having slotted sides to receive the gun-butts, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a tent-pole, of a gun-rack consisting,essentially, of two clasps adapted to be attached in a vertical line to said tent-pole, the clasp having verticallyswinging arms pivoted thereto, said arms having suitable means for retaining them in a horizontal position and having their upper surfaces shaped to fit closely upon the tentpole When in vertical position, substantially as described.

3. A gun-rack for tents, consisting, essentially, of the clasps A A, adapted to be attached to the tent-pole, said clasps having ears I) and braces d, and the arms D and E, pivoted between the ears I) and adapted to rest upon the braces (Z, the arms D having holes in the bottom to receive the gun-muzzles, and the arms E having slotted sides to receive the gun-butts, substantially as described.

BENJAMIN WATSON. \Vitnesses:

B. E. DILL,

CLYDE KIME.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 429,370.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 429,370, granted June 3, 1890, upon the application of Benjamin W'atson, of Glen Hazel, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Gun-Racks for Tents, was erroneously issued to Robert J. Watson as owner of the entire interest in said invention, that said Letters Patent should have been issued to said Benjamin Wateon and Robert J. Watson jointly, said Robert J. Watson being assigneeof one-half interest only, as shown by the record of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 17th day of June, A. D. 1890.

CYRUS BUSSEY, Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[SEAL] Gountersigned:

G. E. lVIl'lOHELL,

Coamm'ssiongr of Patents. 

